KING GEORGE AND THE BABY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3336, 30 September 1911, Page 4

KING GEORGE AND THE BABY.

PRETTY INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED LONG AGO IN AUSTRALIA. A charming story of King George’s kindness of heart has just been related by the Rev. Henry Howard, at a children's festival at Adelaide, Australia. The occasion was the King’s first visit to Australia as a cadet, with his brother, the late Duke of Clarence. In the course of this visit the two Princes went to Melbourne by coach from hit. Gam bier. . , , • The young Prmce sat on the box seat during the long and dreary drive. The driver told them all about the kangaroo and the wallaby, arid explained tilings they had never seen uetore, and Ins hearers were greatly interested. He mentioned that he had a little two-months-old girl in his home near to Casterton, and Prince George expressed a desire to see the bauy. The coach was, therefore, pulled up at the rural home, and the infant having been shown to the Prince, he took it in his arms and kissed it. Having handed the baby back to her mother, IPrince George took a sovereign from his 'pocket, and asked the coachman to give it to the girl when she grew older, and to tell her that Prince George had presented it to her. . Twenty-one years later Prmce George, as Duke of York, was again in Australia. Having ascertained that the old coachman was alive, he sent a message that he was to come to Melbourne. The old man readily accepted, and found that his fare had been paid. The Duke met him at Government House, and immediately asked after the little girl. The old man’s eyes dimmed with tears and his lips quivered as he said that the child had died. The Royal visitor was distressed by the news, but consoled the friend of his boyhood, and insisted that he should remain for a week at Govexnment House as his guest. During that week, amid all the engagements for the Commonwealth festivities, the Duke of York, for one hour every day, gave his time to the old coachman.